In 2019, L.A. Care Health Plan began addressing the disparate level of philanthropic investments that have long existed in white-led nonprofits compared to those led by Black, Indigenous and other people of color (BIPOC). Today, L.A. Care announces its fourth round of Equity & Resilience Initiative grants, which aim to further enhance the impact of BIPOC-led nonprofits in Los Angeles County. The health plan has awarded a total of $1.25 million to 12 BIPOC-led organizations that have been working to mitigate the impact of historic oppression and marginalization of their communities.
“These 12 organizations successfully completed a first round of Equity & Resilience Initiative grants and have demonstrated organizational growth and greater community impact,” said John Baackes, L.A. Care CEO. “The new grants will help these organizations find sustainable funding sources that will stabilize and strengthen their ability to serve their communities.”
The grantees will receive technical assistance to help them identify and secure sustainable funding sources and heighten their readiness for such funding. This includes developing billing systems, performance tracking systems, and improved application systems.
The 12 grantees provide services in a variety of areas, including:
- Providing support and resources to justice-impacted people experiencing homelessness
- Advocating for policies that improve the health and well-being of Black women and girls
- Advocating for safety, equity, and wellness in the Latino LGBTQ+ community
- Showing Black and Latino youth a variety of paths in STEAM careers
- Empowering Southeast Asian youth and communities through a leadership program
- Developing an understanding and appreciation of diverse communities through the arts
STEM to the Future (STTF) is one of the 12 grantees. STTF works to inspire Black and Hispanic elementary and middle school students’ interests in science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) to help solve complex real-world problems in their local community.
“STEM to the Future is honored to be named an Equity and Resilience IV grant recipient. With the generous support of L.A. Care, we are poised to forge multi-year partnerships that are integral to our mission,” said Jacob Adams, Founder of STEM to the Future. “Our guiding North Star is to establish STTF as the premiere social-justice STEAM organization within Los Angeles County. We are committed to transforming educational spaces, ensuring that Black and brown youth not only acquire vital STEAM skills, but also develop a strong sense of agency and a deep-seated belief in their ability to create the futures they want.”
Another grantee is Creative Acts, a program that brings incarcerated youth and teaching artists with lived experience of incarceration together with prominent artists and leaders to empower both to be agents of civic change.
“L.A. Care's grant will position us to focus on expanding our impact, while we continue our innovative Arts and Virtual Reality program,” said Sabra Williams, Executive Director for Creative Acts. “The funding will allow us to support a positive transformation for California youth impacted by incarceration.”
The 12 organizations receiving grants are:
- A Step to Freedom, Compton, Inglewood, Watts, Gardena, Hawthorne
- California Black Women’s Health Project, Bell, Bell Gardens, South Gate, Cudahy, Lynwood, Maywood
- Creative Acts, Los Angeles County
- Inclusive Action for the City, East L.A., Whittier, Highland Park
- LA Commons, Los Angeles County
- Latino Equality Alliance, East L.A., Whittier, Highland Park
- STEM to the Future, Los Angeles County
- Homies Unidos, Hollywood, Wilshire, Central L.A., Glendale
- Kutturan Chamoru Foundation, Pomona, Claremont, LaVerne, San Dimas
- Khmer Girls in Action, Long Beach
- Southeast Asian Community Alliance (SEACA), Hollywood, Wilshire, Central L.A., Glendale
- SoCal Pacific Islander Community Response Team (PICRT), Los Angeles County
The Equity and Resilience Initiative IV projects align with L.A. Care’s Statement of Principles on Social Justice and Systemic Racism, which states that working together we can achieve an America that is fair, equitable, inclusive and just for all.